First, I would like to thank you for your accepting an interview. I was originally a designer and planner myself and I personally requested this interview. I visited your website www.kaisersosa.com.ar a month ago, and it is an honor and a privilege to learn more about your work.

You are a global designer whose creativity and design directly influence people both at the beginning stages of their careers as well as designers already working in the area.

Kaiser Sosa interview file:

To start things off, for those who don't know much about your design, introduce yourself. Briefly, could you tell us how www.kaisersosa.com.ar was created? What is the design concept of your portfolio?

I started to develop web projects as a Freelancer in the year 2000 after having worked for over 15 years for different advertising agencies. I started as an illustrator and became an Art Director and Senior Creative. My freelancing gave me the opportunity to provide services to the interactive arms of diverse agencies such as the J. Walter Thompson Argentina ( www.digitaljwt.com.ar ), Bridger Conway Design Studio ( www.bridgerconway.com ), and Wunderman of Mexico. In addition, I have worked with many clients and companies directly. Currently, I am the Creative Director of Latin3 ( www.latin3.com ), an American company and interactive agency that provides interactive marketing services to Latin American and U.S. Hispanic divisions of global corporations.

The portfolio that I use to showcase my work is called Digital Brand and it is still in its first phase, version 1.0. The majority of my work for JWT and other clients can be viewed on the Digital Brand website at www.digitalbrand.com.ar . Kaiser Sosa Web CV ( www.kaisersosa.com.ar ) is an online Curriculum Vitae where I display my work including current projects for Latin3. Here you will find a detailed background of my skills, accomplishments and clients that I have serviced over a period of almost 20 years.

Since I began in the New Media industry, I have always been more interested in design and development of Web interfaces than animation. Digital Brand is the result of my interest in creating a realistic user interface with a proprietary operating system that also creates a visual impact through the use of graphics and Flash animation. KaiserSosa is a hybrid site designed to publish the work that I develop as Art Director and freelancer and the design of the site characterizes the design style of my projects.

What does www.kaisersosa.com.ar mean? How did you come up with the name? What is the concept of www.kaisersosa.com.ar ?

“Kaiser” is a nickname given to me by my friends and it comes from the name Keyser Söze, an enigmatic character from the 1995 movie “Usual Suspects”. My last name is Sosa and is very similar to Söze . I have used this nickname for several years and I am very well known in this industry as Kaiser Sosa. Digital Brand was born to showcase my lifelong work with different brands with the purpose of representing them in modern times of Internet technology.

What did you major in? Why did you choose this specialty?

My specialty has always been in advertising design and branding and I have focused on this more time than anything else. I have been working with brands for years and been able to make them grow in value. This same brand recognition is what has enabled me to grow on the Internet. I am also an illustrator by nature and I have utilized illustration practically since I was born as a form of self expression. My skills as an illustrator are the foundation for my current projects in web interface design and the creation of brand image.

How long have you studied Design?

My design capabilities became clear when I was 14 years old and started taking courses in drawing, painting and sculpture. I began to study Graphic Design in college but then I started to work in advertising and I found that I learned more and was able to grow more professionally by working in my area of expertise. It seems that in this field, a portfolio and experience in working for advertising agencies is worth more than a formal education.

I had the opportunity to work for several local advertising clients and agencies and I was able to shape my skills as a designer specializing in advertising and brand development. My background as well as having worked for advertising and agencies specializing in design and marketing allows me to stand out as a Communicator in the area of web.

How different do you think Studios and Web agencies are? What is the goal of kaisersosa?

Web Agencies are different from Studios because they are more intricately structured, allowing agencies to produce a broader range of projects in a shorter period of time; not just strategy and marketing.

I believe that my skills in concept creation along with my knowledge of interface design, web applications and the high level of detail and quality that in the final product that I produce allow me to be involved of all aspects of a project from beginning to end which I would not be able to do as well in a Studio. The result of these qualities is reflected in the many awards and international acclaims dedicated to my work.

What do you think is the hardest field (movie site, automobile site, business site, etc) to design?

I feel that Hot Sites and promotional sites are the most complex because they must create a visual impact as be informational at the same time. The most difficult is to create an advertising campaign that is only for the Web. Apart from design and usability; they have to be effective for the advertiser and compelling enough to compete with more traditional mediums such as TV or print.

What kinds of projects have you done until now? Each website you have made is really remarkable. Could you tell me about some of your most recent work?

Barrio RBK www.barriorbk.com

As Art Director of LATINTHRE3 I have been charged with the creation and supervision of the production of this microsite for Reebok made for the U.S. Hispanic audience. The site offers exclusive content for Reebok's target of young people who identify with their own culture and have incorporated the Reebok brand as an urban alternative within their culture. Barrio RBK is an online Latin neighborhood that offers culturally specific content related to music, technology and sports with an Urban design including graffiti and Reggaeton that is like Hip Hop music only in Spanish.

Ricky Hair System v2 www.rickyhair.com.ar

This salon offers packaged service options that combine different services such as hair cut and scalp treatments that make a complete Hair System. This unique way of package products is the reason for the name Ricky Hair System. The idea of the system is what inspired me to create a high-tech interface that would demonstrate the salon's services and show their events which include photography sessions for famous local models and actresses, such as Pamela David.

Ford Focus Duratec http://www.ford.com.ar/focus_duratec

J. Walter Thompson Argentina is one of the agencies in Argentina for which I provide freelance services. I frequently work on Ford, one the the agency's major clients. This project is part of the launch of the new Focus that has a Duratec 2.0L 145 CV engine. The Ford Focus is a medium sized vehicle that now has more power with the new engine. The feeling of speed and special attention given to showcasing the new engine are the concepts behind the web design.

Aiwa Latin America www.latin.aiwa.com

In Latin America the brand is synonymous with high power audio systems. The client wanted to portray the concept of power through the use of engines used in racing cars and motorcycles as well as in some competitive sports vehicles. In this project developed by LATINTHRE3, the enameled texture and aerodynamics mixed with the color of the brand are the elements that give the look and feel of robust power in the musical sense.

Pepsimundo www.pepsimundo.com

This project developed by LATINTHRE3 is a Latin American portal with content such as music and sports where the user can be informed about events related to their favorite artists. The user can interact with other users through means such as Chat, exclusive forums, photo sharing, games and post cards while earning points and winning prizes.

In Korea, many web designers tell me that they get ideas from watching films, listening to the music, hiking, or their own imaginations when I ask them where they typically get their web design ideas. I would like to ask you where you usually get ideas for Web Design.

Any part of life or culture can be an inspiration but my main source of inspiration for Web design is the Internet. The global expansion of the Internet as a means of communication allows designers all over the world to interact and share their work. This was difficult and costly before the Internet and we had to communicate through imported print publications.

At present, the kaisersosa site is of version 1 or 2 ? Do you have any regular cycle for the upgrade of the portfolio site? What do you treat most importantly in building the portfolio site? Also the portfolio site shows future-oriented designs. Their ideas are always fresh. From where do you get such ideas? Could you send me the draft image or sketch of each version, if you have any?

At the moment both portfolios, DigitalBrand and KaiserSosa, are in their initial versions. KaiserSosa is now version 2.5 but the previous versions were only lacking Flash programming and showed certain projects that are no longer online. I only use this portfolio as a showcase for my design work but I do not offer my services here and that is why the site is somewhat basic. When I finally have some free time away from all of the projects that I have pending I will work on this site to make it better. Unfortunately, I don't have any of the previous versions saved.

In my subjective opinion, the web design falls behind as to creativity, and tends to do an imitation, which may be an act done un consciously while conducting benchmarking so as to build a better site. Do you also conduct benchmarking? (this word, benchmarking = no meaning copy)

I believe that most of us have an autodidactic formation that comes from benchmarking in our ideas, projects and methodologies. Once we acquire professional expertise and experience we look at the leaders, but only to observe how something is done and to be able to do it in a unique and different way using your own style.

Numerous designers around the world visit your site. They are surprised after seeing your portfolio. Is there any site which made you surprised yourself? If any, I wish to know why it made you wonder, and what the site was?

I believe that the DigitalBrand project surprised me mostly because of the unexpected recognition it had. Even when I dedicated many hours of hard work to its development, I would never imagine the great satisfaction it gave me.

How is the USA (I don't know kaisersosa) web industry situation now and how it will be going?

I primarily work on projects in the Latin American region and in this market there are a growing number of e-builders that service regional needs whom through their work are reaching the rest of the world.

How do you expect the field of web building will develop in the future? Please comment about its trend.

Imagination and creativity work together to build new and better technology platforms. Software companies allow constant updating of tools and connectivity providers offer broadband and more Internet penetration and speed that allow for more richness in multimedia and heavier programming. One of the most evident tendencies is the massive use of video on the Web which will most definitely change the Web into a medium that resembles TV more in the near future.

What did you first see on the web that knocked you out? And what are some of your favorite web sites.

The first web project that really had an impact on me was the Flash intro of Impress Software created by Eye4U www.eye4u.com/showroom/impress. The websites that I like the most are designed by 2Advanced, Group 94, Fantasy Interfaces and Flash Level.

By any chance are you aware of any Korean design agencies or designers?

Asian Web design is a great source of inspiration for those of us who work with product sites. Our Asian colleagues know how to combine a lot of important information on a web page without losing sophistication and still maintaining a a clean and pure look and feel. I haven't yet had the opportunity however to familiarize myself with the works of a Korean agency or to discover the difference in style as compared to other agencies across Asia.

What is next portfolio version design's plan for the future?

The new KaiserSosa.com.ar will be a full Flash version and I hope to find the time necessary to develop a second version dignified of my professional skills and accomplishments. The planning of a second version of DigitalBrand will be much a more challenging task due to the world renowned success and popularity of version 1.0.

What kind of prizes did you receive? (WEB)

I have received several awards from FIAP (Festival Iberoamericano de Publicidad), for different submissions. Also I have received awards in Argentina from Círculo de Creativos argentinos and I have been a finalist in certain local and international contests apart from receiving a variety of web awards such as two Bombshock Ultrashock awards and the 2003 Design Forte Award of Netvider.net.

Digital Brand is internationally known in the New Media community. All you have to do is write the words digitalbrand in any search engine around the world and you will find my website as well as my work displayed and talked about in many award sites, galleries and forums.